(Video) Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens: 'Obama Trying to 'Mend the Fences That He Really Broke in the First Four Years'

Wall Street Journal foreign affairs columnist Bret Stephens said President Obama's speech in front of Israeli students and outreach to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled an attempt to "mend the fences that he really broke in the first four years."

"Part of the problem with Obama's first term is he spent a lot of time coddling our enemies or adversaries and putting distance between the United States and our friends," Stephens said. "Maybe he understands really what you have to do to run an effective policy is to bring your friends in, to bring them that much closer. If that's the new zeitgeist of the second administration, that's probably a pretty good thing."

On the other hand, one can't help but be a bit slack-jawed by Barack Obama's comparing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to disagreements between the U.S. and Canada during his press briefing alongside Abbas:

Last time I checked, there are no Canadian religious extremists lobbing rockets over the border into U.S. cities ... as is the case in Israeli towns and cities being blasted by Islamic terrorists on a daily basis - and dedicated to the destruction of Israel.

President Obama spoke to the Israeli people today, at the Jerusalem Convention Center. His remarks moved his administration toward the pre-Obama consensus views of the Clinton and Bush administrations, indeed at several points echoing Bush's 2008 speech to the Knesset. But he presented a view of the chances for peace with the Palestinians that was far rosier than reality permits -- or than he may really believe.

Related: Obama to Israelis: Put yourselves in the Palestinians' shoes (Always the Alinskyite community agitator. Because, well ... he doesn't know how to do anything else.)

Posted by Hyscience at March 21, 2013 12:11 PM

(Video) Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens: 'Obama Trying to 'Mend the Fences That He Really Broke in the First Four Years'

Wall Street Journal foreign affairs columnist Bret Stephens said President Obama's speech in front of Israeli students and outreach to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled an attempt to \"mend the fences that he really broke in the first four years.\"\n\n\"Part of the problem with Obama's first term is he spent a lot of time coddling our enemies or adversaries and putting distance between the United States and our friends,\" Stephens said. \"Maybe he understands really what you have to do to run an effective policy is to bring your friends in, to bring them that much closer. If that's the new zeitgeist of the second administration, that's probably a pretty good thing.\"

\n\nOn the other hand, one can't help but be a bit slack-jawed by Barack Obama's comparing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to disagreements between the U.S. and Canada during his press briefing alongside Abbas:\n\n

\n\nLast time I checked, there are no Canadian religious extremists lobbing rockets over the border into U.S. cities ... as is the case in Israeli towns and cities being blasted by Islamic terrorists on a daily basis - and dedicated to the destruction of Israel.\n\nMaking Obama's comment all the more laughable, rockets were striking Israel even as Obama prepared to meet the Palestinians.\n\nMeanwhile, protestors in Gaza were busy torching the US flag and expressing outrage over US policies.\n\n

\n\nClearly, Obama's 'Muslim outreach' thingy hasn't worked out so well. Let's hope this latest effort, that includes warming up to Israel ... for a change, works out better. So far, I give him a 'C+'.\n\nSuggested read: Elliott Abrams has an excellent review of Obama in Jerusalem:

President Obama spoke to the Israeli people today, at the Jerusalem Convention Center. His remarks moved his administration toward the pre-Obama consensus views of the Clinton and Bush administrations, indeed at several points echoing Bush's 2008 speech to the Knesset. But he presented a view of the chances for peace with the Palestinians that was far rosier than reality permits -- or than he may really believe.

Related: Obama to Israelis: Put yourselves in the Palestinians' shoes (Always the Alinskyite community agitator. Because, well ... he doesn't know how to do anything else.)\n